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What Our Foster Carers Say

Posted on by Angeline Westley

We know how much time and emotional investment it takes to become a foster carer. From looking for a reputable independent fostering agency to going through panel, it is important that you are comfortable with the people around you.

We have close relationships with our foster carers and are there to support them at any given time.

At their latest foster carers annual review, the Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO) asked Progress’s foster carers about their experiences with the company.

Here are some comments from our carers:

  • Sarah and Russell commented that Progress are supportive as an agency and are pleased there have never been any problems in working with them. They appreciate the open relationship they can have with them and that they do not feel judged.

  • Mary feels she has a good relationship with Michelle who has supervised her for the previous two years. The information she gives is always reliable and clear.

  • Wendy said the support from the agency has been consistent. She has not had to use the Out Of Hours service and it is very rare that she needs to contact them about specific incidences. However, she has the number available and knows she would be able to get hold of someone.

  • James regularly attends the Progress social events for foster carers and enjoys them. He appreciates there is a forum to meet and share experiences with other foster carers.

Fostering can be challenging, but you’re never alone. We’ll always be there and whenever you need us, 24/7, 365 days a year.

Want to become a foster carer? Click here to learn how you can change a child’s life.

If you would like to talk to us, email fostering@progresscare.co.uk, or call 01902 561066 and we will be happy to help.

7 Ways You Benefit With Supported Living

Posted on by Angeline Westley

The Progress supported living service helps you to move into your own accommodation, giving you the chance to live independently.

But why choose supported living? Here are 7 ways you can benefit with support from Progress.

  1. Greater independence
    • Supported living gives you the chance to live as ordinary a life as possible. It could mean moving out of a residential home or taking those first steps to independence by moving out of your parents’ house. Whatever your circumstances, we can support you on your journey to living as independently as possible.
  2. You can rent or even own your property
    • The housing/accommodation is usually provided by either the council, a housing association or a social landlord. We can help find a property that suits your needs, or we can support your existing property. Some people may choose to buy their own home, or others may rent from a private landlord. There are schemes out there to support you with your housing costs, such as exempt housing benefit. You can also live on your own or in a shared housing arrangement with your friends or other like-minded people.
  3. Furniture and goods belong to you
    • It is your home, and you can furnish and decorate it the way you want. We can help you to go shopping and furnish your home with you. In some instances, there may be support from your local authority leaving the care team. Don’t be daunted; Progress will support you in making the best decisions for you. Remember, you may be able to get financial help with your purchases if you have difficulty.
  4. Support tailored around your needs
    • We can provide 24/7 support or require help with specific tasks such as personal care needs or medication. If you want to learn how to manage your money, cook and clean or even learning new independence skills, we are there for you.
  5. Trained staff selected by you
    • We already have staff with a wide range of skills that may already be trained to meet your needs. You will get the chance to select a team that you feel will meet your needs the most, or we can recruit staff for you.
  6. Staff are regulated for your safety
    • All of our staff have an enhanced Disclosure, and Barring Service (DBS) check to ensure they are safe to support and care for you. Our service is regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to ensure we have robust procedures in place to keep you safe from harm.
  7. Support with benefits
    • Personal Independence Payment (PIP) can help you with extra costs if you have long-term ill-health or disability. You could get between £22.65 and £145.35 a week if you’re aged 16 or over and have not reached the State Pension age. You could get a grant from your local authority if you’re disabled and need to make changes to your home. If you are a homeowner, this may be to widen doors and install ramps, improve access to rooms and facilities – e.g. stairlifts or a downstairs bathroom – provide.
Want to know more? Click here to find out how supported living can change your life.

Foster Carer Stories: Short Breaks Foster Care

Posted on by Angeline Westley

Short breaks foster care is a temporary placement while future plans for the child / young person(s) are confirmed. A placement can last from a few days to a few months.

But how does this all work in reality? We spoke to one of our foster carers Jane on her experiences.

short breaks foster 

Jane and Mark with their Progress Supervisor Social Worker: Michelle

Why short breaks foster care?

My name is Jane. My partner Mark and I are approved Progress short break foster carers; specialising in children who have profound disabilities and challenging behaviours.

Short breaks fostering gives families or a parent without a support network a chance to recharge their batteries.

There are many reasons why a family or parent may need this kind of support. For Harvey’s mum, it was because of her need for a monthly break. With Harvey’s diagnosis of Syngap1, she had a lot to deal with, especially being on her own.

Whether you are a birth parent or carer, a problematic home environment can be very stressful without a break. So, as a short breaks foster carer, we give them support when they need it most.

There is no time limit for short breaks fostering. It can last a day, a weekend, or sometimes a week or more. The duration all depends on the needs of the family.

Our first visitor was Harvey

Despite Harvey being small and angelic looking, he was a perplexed and angry little five-year-old.

Harvey’s mum loved him dearly, but needed help. She contacted Progress and then their fostering team contacted us.

After his first visit, we were exhausted. Having gone through 48 hours with only two hours’ sleep, Mark and I really questioned ourselves as to whether we could carry on. Harvey had great difficulty sleeping, which was mainly due to his inability to self-regulate.

However, over the next five years, my partner and I became very attached to Harvey. We found him endearing and a lot of fun to be with. You learn to adapt to a child’s needs. There were times Harvey could not deal with new people being brought into the house, so all visitors were banned when he was here. That was just how things had to be – he had to be put first.

So, how did we cope?

My partner and I developed our own strategies. Generally, this involved lots of exercising and fresh country air. Get something that works for you as it will pay dividends for your well-being and ultimately, for the child or young person you’re caring for. 

Coming to an end

Harvey’s mum met a new partner and got married. The wedding day was special. We took Harvey to a country hotel and dressed him in a full wedding suit, including tail and cravat. I held Harvey’s hand as he led the wedding party up the aisle.

All the family and friends commented on how well he had coped with the day. As we left the wedding venue, my partner and I felt a lot of emotion. We were so happy Harvey was there for his mum.

We stopped caring for Harvey at aged 10. His mum was managing better, as she had the support from her new partner.

We look back on the five years we supported and cared for Harvey as a pleasure.

Ready to make that first step? Click here to find out how you can become a short breaks foster carer. 

Working in Care Stories: Kim

Posted on by Angeline Westley

Kim is a Team Leader at Progress’s Children’s Short Breaks service, Stourbridge House.

This is her story.

It was Kim Williams’ younger brother who inspired her to work in care. ‘He is autistic and I grew up caring for him,’ she says. ‘I love him to bits, he is such a character and I wanted to help people in a similar situation.’

Kim was just 18 when she became a volunteer for Progress, helping out with activities in the community to gain experience before she started studying for a social work degree. When she went to university, she was a support worker for Progress in her spare time. She then decided to focus on moving forward with her career full time.

‘Progress is a lovely company to work for. I think you are really valued as an employee,’ she says. ‘My line manager identified I had the ability to progress and supported me. I feel that support has been ongoing ever since.’

Kim went on to a senior position in The Hub, helping young people to develop their independence.

Now, at 22, she is team leader at Stourbridge House, which provides short breaks for children aged 5 to 18, giving families a break from day-to-day care. Stourbridge House provides a range of activities like trips to the seaside and theme parks, as well as supporting children and young people to move towards independence and grow in confidence.

Kim’s role involves managing and supervising staff, helping to run the home and supporting the young people. ‘No two days are the same,’ she says. ‘We have 40 different families, so every day different combinations of children come in. It’s really enjoyable to work with children with a variety of needs. Some days we have a child with severe challenging behaviour, other days it’s a child with severe learning difficulties and physical disabilities.

‘It’s lovely to see the children make progress and to see the families being able to have a break, with confidence their children are being well looked after. The children make a lot of progress here.’

Kim has encouraged others to follow in her footsteps and work for Progress. ‘Progress provide such a variety of support,’ she says. ‘It gives you the chance to find your niche and see what you enjoy. I was able to pinpoint where I wanted to be.’

She is hoping to continue moving forward in her career with Progress and one day she would like to manage a home. ‘At the moment I’m really happy in the role I’m in,’ she says.

Kim says it is more a way of life than a job. ‘I absolutely love it,’ she says. ‘It’s a homely environment and you are coming to support children. The children are all absolutely amazing. They are such a joy to work with and every single one of them has their own qualities. You build relationships with them. When I have annual leave and I have been off for a couple of weeks I miss it. I can’t wait to get back and see the kids. It’s a really rewarding role.’

Are you inspired by Kim’s story? A career in care awaits you. Start your journey by clicking here to apply for a job at Progress today.

Why work for Progress?

Posted on by Angeline Westley

Are you thinking of working in care? With many jobs in care on offer, what makes Progress a great company to work for?

1.   We value the opinions of our staff

As an organisation that works for children and young adults, the quality of services we provide is vital to our existence – therefore our staff are our greatest asset.

Without their hard work and achievements, we wouldn’t benefit the number of lives we do.

At Progress, we encourage staff to voice their opinions, suggestions, and ideas. Working on the principle of ‘come to us with an idea, show us and demonstrate that it works’ we will do our very best to support its implementation.

Our staff value that their voices are heard. With any ideas implemented, we will always go above and beyond to ensure the staff member receives recognition.

2.   We continuously evaluate the way we do things

Every day we ask ourselves, ‘how can we be better?. We are always looking at the ways we assist and support our staff, our Foster Carers and our young people and seeing how we can improve on that.

Encouraging and developing young people in our care to be the best they can be is important to us. We have the same philosophy when it comes to our staff, and this is demonstrated through our continuous learning and development.

It is imperative that we work outside our roles across all our services collaboratively. We brainstorm and analyse all aspects of our services to ensure we provide opportunities for people in our care to grow.

3.   We embrace change and opportunity

In our opinion, ‘we’ve always done it that way’ is a dangerous way of thinking. We want to get better. Growing our teams, investing in people and analysing what we can do better for the young people in our care is important as it allows us continually adapt to changes.

We are passionate about everyone within our organisation getting involved in sharing duties and opportunities. From the CEO to the cooks in the residential homes, we all like to get stuck in. We have the attitude of, no job is too small for anyone to do. We believe that there is no hierarchy in a way that someone is more important than others. We all work together to serve the people in our care in the best way possible.

If you are looking for a change of employer or even a change of sector, take a look at our jobs page and see if we have the job for you.

From Senior Support Worker to Managing Director

Posted on by Angeline Westley

Claire Rogers speaks from the heart about her role as Managing Director of Progress. She talks with passion about her values, her aims for the staff and the children.  “I give everything to what I do,” she says, “I love it.”

Claire moved into care from a career in retail, starting work at a school for children with special needs. At first she felt helpless in her new role and was in tears when she went home at night, but she learnt quickly. “I remember the first day I was able to sign to a young person,” she recalls. “He used to get really frustrated because he couldn’t make himself understood. When I understood him, the look on his face was just incredible. That was probably the turning point for me.”

In 2002 she applied for a Senior Support Worker role at Progress and quickly went on to be a Deputy Manager. She progressed through the company and became Managing Director in 2015. Her responsibilities include upholding the values of the company: care, trust, respect and progress.

“I don’t have to compromise my integrity in this organisation,” she says. “The values are right. For me it’s about doing the right thing. I enjoy giving my time and my energy to something that feels worthwhile. I value people. I enjoy seeing them grow and learn; being passionate about what they do.”

She continues, “I get the freedom to make decisions and make a difference. I’m trusted to do that. My drive to do new things and push the boundaries has helped the business to grow and my own career to develop. I always say to staff: if you have an idea, go for it, put the effort in and you will get the benefit.”

Claire’s aim is for the children to be the best version of themselves they can be and that is the same for the staff too. “Care work is not an easy job but it can be the most amazing job in the world” she says. “No two days are the same and it makes it interesting.”

It is important to her to maintain quality and she is involved in the day to day running of the business. “I like to know exactly what is going on,” she says.

She has a broad knowledge and experience and an oversight across the business. She loves nothing more than mapping out a child’s journey through the organisation, pulling the whole organisation together to work in an integrated way. “At the end of the day it’s about kids, it’s about care and it’s about making a difference to as many people as we can,” she says.

Claire describes her personality as loyal and honest. “I care intensely,” she says. “It makes me sad when I see somebody who needs help. If I can do something about it, I will.”

When one young girl died on her 21stbirthday, Claire spoke at her funeral. “She had such profound disabilities, she had every problem you could imagine and yet she always had a smile for you, no matter what was going on,” says Claire. “She could have been in real pain, but she always had a smile. She was tube fed and in a wheelchair but we took her to the Snow Dome and helped her to go down the slope in a giant rubber ring. There were lights and music and when it was time to go back into her wheelchair, she cried because she had loved it so much. She had a short life. She had a life limiting condition. But she had a life and I was able to make a difference to this and give her some experiences which enriched it. These are the things I remember.”

Are you inspired by Claire’s story? A career in care awaits you. Start your journey by clicking here to apply for a job at Progress today.

 

Working for Progress: Phil’s Story

Posted on by Angeline Westley

“I can talk with passion about what I do because I fully believe in it” says Phil McDonald who is at the helm of The Hub, which helps children and young adults with disabilities to get the absolute most from life.

Phil started his working life at the tax office, but feeling unfulfilled, took a leap of faith to work in care and has never looked back since. He started in children’s services working alongside young people with autism and behavioural support needs.

In 2008 he joined Progress, initially as a senior support worker at Shire House.  He moved on to his first managerial role at Regis House, which was then providing short breaks. He was instrumental in the company’s further development of our Hub services, before becoming operations manager of the Hub in 2017.

His role includes involvement in recruitment days. “Quite often people have no professional experience, but they go on to make really good carers” he says. “I think it is important we offer people that stepping stone. Progress is a personal company, it’s not too big. You still know who people are and there’s always a new opportunity. If people fit within the value base and are motivated, they can relatively quickly climb the ladder.” He continued, “We are always willing to train people as relevant to their job role and to support their own personal development. As long as they are willing to engage with it, we are willing to support them to do it.”

Phil says his role is a massive challenge all of the time. “There is always something different happening” he says, which is why he enjoys it. He also likes the difference he can make. “There are people we’ve supported that I have known since they were tiny kids and now some of them are living on their own independently. Knowing that the services we have created for them, have supported them to do that, is a big thing for me.”

Phil explained, “The point I stop being passionate about what I do, is the point I know it’s time for me to not do it anymore. This role is not something you can do half-heartedly. It doesn’t finish at 5 o’clock.”

Outside of work Phil enjoys spending time with his three children. He likes reading and watching films. He describes his personality as ‘pretty relaxed’, adding “I’m not easily phased and I’m relatively flexible. I don’t mind working in crisis and I communicate well with people”.

Sometimes he misses the interaction with the young people now that his career has progressed.  “Sometimes people will come into the office to say hello and I spend a bit of time with them, having a chat. That was what I fell in love with in the beginning, that level of interaction and helping people.”

Highlights have included an ‘outstanding’ inspection when he was at Shire House. But he also points to more individual ‘victories.’ There was the little boy who came for short breaks when he was five years old. “He had a crop of bright red hair and he was like a little whirlwind, running around all over the place” says Phil. “You couldn’t let him out of your sight. We worked with him to settle him down.” He was placed with a foster family and Phil has been delighted to see his progress. At the last Progress summer barbeque, years after they first met, Phil watched him sitting quietly under a tree eating his packed lunch. It is moments like this, moments too numerous to mention, that make his job worthwhile.

How To Choose A Foster Agency

Posted on by Angeline Westley

Deciding which foster agency to choose can be hard.

There are so many factors to consider. Charlotte is currently waiting to become a foster carer for Progress and spoke to us about the process she went through in deciding which foster agency to choose.

What is your day job?

I am an assistant headteacher in a mainstream secondary school, with responsibility for special educational needs and disability, known  as SEND, along with inclusion. My primary role is to help young people with the curriculum, putting in place the appropriate provision to meet their needs. 

How long have you thought about fostering? 

In the last two years, it’s been something I’ve seriously considered. But I’ve thought about fostering, on and off, for many years.

Why now?

It came from a conversation I had with friends who already foster. I did have some reservations, but they answered all my questions and gave me a rounded view of what life is really like as a foster carer. This really helped. So, I took a deep breath and contacted Progress.

Why choose a private fostering agency and not a local authority? 

It wasn’t a conscious choice to go with a private agency as opposed to a local authority. However, because of Progress’ experience, I knew I would be in a safe pair of hands.

So, you were recommended to Progress by an existing foster carer?

Yes. I have close friends who have experience of other agencies and now foster with Progress. They gave me positive feedack and recommended I get in touch. I trust their judgement that this agency is excellent.

How have you found the process with Progress? 

I was initially filled with trepidation because you do have an uneasy feeling of not knowing what you’re letting yourself for. I may work with children, but this process is way out of my comfort zone. However, the process so far has been positive.

From the first telephone conversation to the initial visit, references, checks, meeting my assessing social worker, ‘skills to foster’ training and now preparing for the panel, everything has been clear and transparent. Because I feel supported by the Progress fostering team, I now have the confidence to embark on this fostering journey with the help and advice of the team every step of the way. 

Inspired to become a foster carer? Click here to learn how you too can change a child’s life. If you would like to talk to us, email fostering@progresscare.co.uk, and we will be happy to help.

 

 

Working for Progress: Adam’s story

Posted on by Angeline Westley

It was 7am on a cold January morning in 2012 when Adam arrived for his first day as a support worker. He stepped inside what looked like any other house, to a new career and a new life. Within minutes he was answering questions from curious teenagers, finding his way amongst young people whizzing around in wheelchairs and others getting ready for their day.

Adam was working in a short breaks home, helping young people with a range of learning and physical disabilities.

He had worked with young people before and had been a sports coach. But this time he didn’t know what to expect. ‘It was a learning curve straight away,’ he recalls. He set to work helping the young people, preparing packed lunches and taking a couple of young people in wheelchairs to Sandwell Valley for a trip that afternoon.

That evening Adam didn’t know how long he would stay. But Adam is still with Progress now. ‘I enjoyed working with young people, building relationships with them and wanting to see them grow’ he says. ‘Seeing their progress makes it so rewarding. ’

Adam moved on to become a senior support worker, a coordinator then deputy manager in the Hub, before eventually moving into his current role within the Business Development team. Although his work now has more of a corporate and commercial focus, the purpose is still the same; ensuring the best outcomes for young people.

‘It has been quite a quick progression really,’ he says. Along the way he received ongoing training and has a Level 3 NVQ in Health and Social Care and a level 4 NVQ in Leadership and Management. He has completed a range of training; from safety and medication through to project management.

His career with Progress has had many special moments, like the day he took a teenager in a wheelchair to his first ever football match. The young man loved watching football on television and so Adam took him on a train to a West Bromwich Albion match. ‘He loved it,’ Adam recalls. ‘He still remembers it every time I see him now, years later.’

Then there was the summer he organised for 16 young people to go on holiday to the seaside. They went swimming and to theme parks. ‘All the young people loved their time away,’ he says.

He has been involved in setting up activity groups in the community, everything from arts and crafts to dance, drama and sport. He was also involved in starting a young club for older teenagers.

Adam, now 30, describes himself as a caring person who enjoys what he does. Outside of work he likes football and is a devoted dad who enjoys spending time with his family, including his young daughter.

His advice for anyone thinking about working for Progress is: ‘Come and try it even if you have never done this type of work before.  Give it a go. Meet our young people and you probably won’t want to leave.’

Would you like to work for Progress? Click here and apply through our website today

 

 

Supporting Young People

Posted on by Angeline Westley

We want to be able to share with your the amazing things Progress carers experience in their job every day.

Mark is a Progress carer and has been supporting Jay for nearly three years.

This is his story:

Jay is very high on the spectrum of autism and has minimal vocabulary.

Despite this, Jay’s Mum really wanted her son to take part in activities that benefited not only him but also the wider community.

I did some research and found a program that was looking for volunteers to help maintain and preserve parks in the West Midlands.

It was with much anticipation that we arrived on the first day alongside the other volunteers. Jay was delighted to see so many people he was going to be part of a team with. Something was said on the first day that stayed with me.

The person running the program suggested that Jay being in the park alongside other people, may not work. However, he was willing to allow Jay to stick around. When you hear things like this, it saddens you. I knew that Jay would show that he is more than capable of participating despite all his disabilities – after all, we are all able by our abilities.

Volunteering brought out so much in Jay, it’s incredible. He’s making friends, working hard and giving back to the community, which is what he and his Mum wanted.

Sadly, it was during this period that his Dad passed away. Being such a strong person, Jay carried on working even though it must have been difficult for him. He also had the added pressure of this being the first year since he finished school.

The moral of the story is that nothing is impossible. Jay has achieved great things despite others saying he wouldn’t. Whenever I see him working, I always look on in amazement to what he has achieved.

I feel so proud to support Jay and have no doubt in my mind that he will carry on achieving a lot more throughout his adult life.